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In the Andes, there exists an ancient tradition that has remained almost intact despite the passage of centuries. The native peoples of these mountains have long known the healing power of Wachuma, a sacred plant known in the West as San Pedro. This is not a recreational or superficial tourist experience; it is a profound path of self-discovery that requires respect, preparation, and an open heart.
At Killarumiyoq, a ceremonial temple dedicated to the Moon rising among the mountains of the Anta Valley, this ancestral medicine takes on a special meaning. Here, where the stones were carved with ceremonial precision hundreds of years ago, the feminine energy of the place amplifies the experience of healing and spiritual reconnection.
What is Wachuma really?
Before talking about the ceremony, it’s important to understand what this plant represents in the Andean worldview. Wachuma is not simply a cactus with psychoactive properties. For Andean masters, it is a living being with its own spirit a teacher that teaches through direct experience rather than words.
Its main effect is not hallucinogenic in the common sense of the term. Wachuma opens the heart both literally and spiritually. Those who drink it often experience a deep connection with nature, an uncommon emotional clarity, and a renewed ability to feel love and compassion, both toward themselves and others.
Andean elders have used it for generations to heal trauma, release emotional burdens that no longer serve, and help people find their life purpose. Unlike other master plants, Wachuma carries a gentle, loving, and patient energy.
Killarumiyoq: The Lunar Sanctuary
One hour from Cusco, following the road to the Anta Valley, lies Killarumiyoq. The name in Quechua means “stone of the moon,” and the place truly lives up to its name. This pre-Hispanic ceremonial center is dedicated to feminine energy, lunar cycles, and introspection.
The stones of the site display carvings that seem to follow patterns related to the Moon’s movement. The silence of the place is profound, interrupted only by the wind and the songs of birds. There is something in this space that naturally invites reflection and inner stillness.
For a Wachuma ceremony, the physical environment matters. It is not the same to take the medicine anywhere as it is to do so in a place that has been used for ceremonies for centuries. The earth has memory, and Killarumiyoq holds a vibration that supports emotional healing and mental clarity.
How the Ceremony Unfolds
Each ceremony is unique because each group and each person arrives with their own needs. However, there is a traditional structure that Andean masters follow:
Preparing the Space
Before dawn, the Andean masters prepare the site. They perform an energetic cleansing with palo santo smoke and other sacred herbs. Then comes the offering to Pachamama a despacho made with coca leaves, flowers, seeds, and symbolic elements representing gratitude and a request for protection.
This part is not a decorative ritual. It is the moment when permission is requested from the energies of the place to hold the ceremony, and a clear intention of healing and learning is established.
Drinking the Medicine
As the sun begins to rise, each participant receives the traditionally prepared Wachuma. The taste is bitter, earthy, and difficult to describe. It is drunk slowly and consciously while the facilitators sing ícaros ceremonial songs that accompany and guide the experience.
The first effects usually appear after one to two hours. They are not abrupt or overwhelming. Most people describe a growing sense of openness, as if an invisible weight were being lifted from the chest.
The Sacred Walk
A fundamental part of the ceremony is walking through the archaeological site. Wachuma is a solar, expansive medicine that invites movement. Walking among the stones of Killarumiyoq, touching the ancient walls, feeling the wind on your skin everything takes on a different quality.
It’s not uncommon during this walk to gain deep insights into personal situations, to recall forgotten memories, or simply to feel overwhelming gratitude for being alive.
The Healing Work
Throughout the day, the Andean masters offer different practices depending on what the group needs. These may include guided meditations, moments of contemplative silence, emotional release exercises, or individual rituals for closing cycles.
The role of the facilitators is crucial. They are not there to direct each person’s experience, but to hold the space, intervene if someone needs support, and help integrate whatever arises.
Closing the Ceremony
When the effects of the medicine begin to fade, usually after eight to ten hours, a closing circle is held. This is the time to share, if one wishes, what was experienced throughout the day to give thanks to the plant, the earth, the guides, and the companions of the ceremony.
A light meal is served, usually fruits and natural foods, since after so many hours the body needs to recover energy gently.
What You Can Expect from This Experience
It’s important to arrive without rigid expectations but with a clear intention. Some people experience visions, others do not see anything visual but feel everything with unknown intensity. Some cry as they release old pain, others laugh as they rediscover the simple beauty of existence.
Most share the feeling of having touched something true within themselves of remembering, even for a few hours, that we are part of something much greater than our everyday worries.
The most frequently reported benefits include:
- A renewed ability to feel and express emotions in a healthy way
- Greater clarity when making important life decisions
- Healing of difficult or closed relationships
- Reconciliation with aspects of the past
- A deeper connection with nature
- Reduction of anxiety and repetitive thought patterns
- A lasting sense of inner peace
Important Considerations
This is not an experience for everyone or for just any moment. It requires physical and mental preparation. In the days prior, it is recommended to avoid alcohol, red meat, excessive spice, and sexual activity. Not out of moralism, but because the body must be as clean as possible to receive the medicine.
It is also not recommended for people taking certain psychiatric medications, those with serious heart conditions, or pregnant women. A prior conversation with the organizers is essential to determine if it is the right moment for you.
And perhaps most importantly: this medicine does not do the work for you. Wachuma opens doors, but crossing them is each person’s responsibility. What is experienced during the ceremony is only the beginning — true transformation occurs in the days and weeks that follow, when what was lived is integrated into daily life.
A Commitment to Tradition
At Illa Kuntur Travel, we work exclusively with Andean masters who have learned these practices within their family or community lineages. They are not improvised facilitators or guides who learned in weekend workshops.
Respect for tradition is non-negotiable. This means small groups never massive ones. It means giving enough time for each phase of the ceremony, without rushing. It means saying no to people for whom this experience is not appropriate, even if it means a financial loss.
Practical Information for Visitors
Location: Killarumiyoq is located in the district of Anta, approximately 80 kilometers from Cusco. The drive takes about one hour on a paved road.
Duration: The full experience requires an entire day, generally from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., though it may extend depending on the group.
Best Season: The ceremony can be held year-round, but the dry months (April to October) offer the best weather conditions. During the rainy season (November to March), additional precautions are taken.
What’s Included:
- Private transportation from your accommodation in Cusco
- Guidance from an Andean master and bilingual facilitator
- Traditionally prepared Wachuma medicine
- Ceremonial offering to Pachamama
- Light and natural lunch
- Water, coca tea, and fruits throughout the day
- Travel insurance and permanent assistance
What to Bring:
- Comfortable layered clothing (temperature changes throughout the day)
- Hat and sunscreen
- Reusable water bottle
- Personal blanket
- Notebook and pen for reflections
- Any necessary personal medication
- An attitude of openness and respect
Recommended Preparation:
- Three days before: light diet, avoid alcohol and drugs
- One day before: adequate rest, simple meals
- Day of the ceremony: empty stomach (only water or light tea in the morning)
Finally
There are experiences in life that cannot be fully explained in words. A Wachuma ceremony in Killarumiyoq is one of them. It is not about superficial spiritual tourism or collecting exotic experiences.
It is a genuine encounter with a living tradition with the wisdom the Andes have preserved for generations and above all, an encounter with yourself in your most authentic expression.
If you feel the call to live this experience, listen to that inner voice. And when you decide to take the step, do it with an open heart and without rigid expectations. Allow the medicine to do its work in its own rhythm.
As the Andean elders say: “The plant does not give you what you want, it gives you what you need.”
